Let’s say that we have identified a characteristic that we would love to change. What is the first step in changing? How do we know when we’ve changed? Is change even possible? For starters, change is possible. As we get older, we constantly change. Things that once kept our interest now seem to bore us. This is a fact of life. The first step in changing is imagination. We have to be able to imagine what we want. If we can imagine it, then we can make it so. By using our imagination our brains work out the details on what needs to be done in order to achieve our goals. It’s a bit of reverse engineering. First we see ourselves after the changes have been made. Then we slowly work backwards to reveal the steps we need to take. The more we focus on what we want to change the more clear our objectives become. Next, we have to be willing to change. Without the will to change, all of the planning in the world means nothing. Yes, it can be scary. Stepping into the unknown is not a natural reflex. But, if we want to improve ourselves it is a vital step to take. Once we have implemented the changes we need to maintain that change. This is where 99 percent of the goals and resolutions fail. We need to set up checks and balances in order to know when we are faltering. We should not be overly critical of ourselves. If we backslide, waiver, or revert back to our old habits, it’s OK. It’s not the end of the world. We need to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and continue where we left off. Remember we are human. We are going to fail. Failure is not a bad thing as long a we continue to try. As stated in my blog “Failure is not bad”, failure comes when progress is abandoned before the goal is reached. As long as we are trying, we are not failing. Change will come as long as we implement the changes.

Fake it until we make it.

This is my favorite saying. It is something I tell myself often when I am doing something new. After reviewing new procedures, I imagine myself performing those steps, then I implement what I just imagined. All of this happens in one fluid motion. Read, imagine, act, that’s how reality is made. We control our lives. We can become who we want to become. Will we have limitations and obstacles? Yes. Getting over our limitations is the joy of implementing change. Never lose sight of who we want to become, because one day we will find that person in our mirror. We will know what it took to get there. And, we will know the value of maintaining that new life. The best part is when change becomes who we are, and we learn how to improve ourselves further. Life is about constant improvement. Each change is a step. Enjoy and cherish each step. Never take a step, in life, for granted. As we go through this journey that we call life, it’s important to never take it too seriously. When we falter, remember to stand back up, smile, and move on. Life is simple. We make it complex.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and may we always change for the better and not the bitter.